Things are cheaperwhere we live that's why we charge less. We respect immovable deadlines that's why we work fast. We hate to let users down that's why we root for quality.

We study the goals of a business before we start and only work on the projects which we can help. Design is our strong suite but we never let it get out of hand – all our designs are practical. We write reusable code that anyone can edit further on but we like to stay and support our products after the launch.

Expertise:

- Mobile app development. For iPhone and Android. Scalable and compatible with the latest phone models.

Portfolio

Cinema Tickets

Cinema Tickets App started out as a design challenge after we exchanged stories about our frustrating experiences with buying movie tickets online. This app fixes all the major UX touchpont errors where a conventional app would just bail. A concept was taken further and the app is in production.

Swyft

Swyft is an international company that makes retail store solutions. Their products include vending machines, automated store soft-and hardware, robots, and cashierless stores. Swyft has developed the industry’s most robust and massively scalable cloud-based automated retail backend solution and implemented it in collaborations with some of the biggest brands in the world like Google, CVS Health, Vodafone and Sennheiser.

I'm in

I'm in Diary is a mobile app running as a social journal for fast and easy arrangement of events with friends. We did the I'm in app development for iOS and Android as well as the UX design.

Cubebrush

We’ve developed Cubebrush to work especially well for artists and students in the film, game, media and entertainment industries. Though, we believe Cubebrush can be massively useful regardless of the industry.

NPE

NPE is a mobile app for online parking space reserve, providing convenient parking experience as well as job opportunities. Our work with NPE was the app UI/UX design, development, and extensive testing.

Arthur W. Page Society

The Arthur W. Page Society has been made to connect and strengthen corporate relations. Being the world’s leading professional association for senior public relations, it’s large user base of Chief Communications Officers of Fortune 500 corporations allows corporate executives and educators enrich their professional connections.

OMGene

OMGene (http://www.omd.com) is an internal mobile application for a business enterprise created as an auxiliary communication and team-building platform. We designed UI and UX for OMGene, engineered the app's functionality, and provide ongoing support.

3D Molier

3D Molier is a digital modeling studio creating 3D graphics for games and movies across the world. They started out as a group of freelancers but quickly evolved into an international agency with all the traits of a big company but with the grit of a small studio. We redesigned their website to reflect the growth and maintain the visual intensity of the 3D Molier brand.

Fit for Bucks

This is an app that takes the steps you accumulate through the day and brings you to the local stores which accept those steps in exchange for their products and services. Yes, you pay with your steps. A unique business model of the app made the user flow design a challenge we are proud of.

CGPLUS.COM

CGPLUS.COM is a social networking platform for professional digital artists. It is a place to share works, tips and tricks, tools and network with friends, search for jobs and more. We focus on artists in the entertainment industry, illustrators and sequential artists (comics).

FLEX

Flex is a personal fitness training app we designed and developed under the supervision of Calvert Bauer, a leading fitness instructor in the country. The app offers the simplest and most intuitive fitness routine on the market. It also promotes the importance of nutrition by creating individual diet plans.

My Movies

With our My Movies device sync you can enjoy your movie collection anywhere in the house. Whether on your laptop, mobile or even your Smart TV, My Movies helps you find that perfect movie for any occasion.

Wulfing Store

Fashion Store. Inspired by an extremely authentic street fashion brand stores, we are bringing the same product-based presentation and powerful imagery with minimum distraction. Focusing on seamless buying experience, we are putting a lot of the common estore features aside to make sure the product is the key.

Fit-In-Turn Fitness Profile

We are glued to our phones. Among all the procrastination and ADD, this can be beneficial. We wanted to explore this in term of fitness which is the most compelling benefit as well as the most challenging. Here's the deal. You sign up as an intern of a coach the rest is the ordeal. You can compete in daily challenges, learn new moves, win points, and reach goals.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi Shop

The unofficial sport of the company is brazilian jiu-jitsu. It's a culture as much as it is a martial art and the uniforms we use are beautiful pieces of work. Inspired by the Gracie Barra Wear store, we created this redesign and transition animations to bring a little UX into bjj.

Payment Protection Technology

Taking a 3D payment security technology (whatever that is) and using the tesseract analogy for the illustration. This time we've built the page organically around the illustration which exudes confidence. Kind of what you need from a payment protection service.

Ambitious

Ambitious is a conceptual architect social network. We wanted to tap into the close-knit professional community and design an expereince that fits the industry. Like in the real architecture, we abide to the visual hierarchy and balance of the styles. Emulating materials and building process is a way to bring immersion into the experience.

Shakuro was hired to develop native apps. The client had built the web products but needed an agency to develop mobile apps for Windows, iOS, and Android.

The Reviewer

11-50 Employees

München, Bayern

Paul Krion

Director of Engineering, organize.me

Verified

the reviewer

Director of Engineering, organize.me

Paul Krion

Internet

11-50 Employees

München, Bayern

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

4.5

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"The quality of work they delivered was always good."

Mar 13, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

The client appreciated their ability to remain proactive and honest throughout the duration of their working relationship. They always got good feedback from Shakuro and the agency was flexible to make changes when necessary. They were able to adapt to changing which helped everything run smoothly.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

organize.me is a startup in the document recognition domain. We analyzed documents semantically based on the content. This way we could retrieve categorization type, creation date, and vendors of the documents, and finally, provide an archive. I was the head of engineering when I worked at the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

There were only 12 employees in the company. We provided the UI [user interface] for the web product as well as the Android, iOS, and Windows full native apps, and an API on the backend. We needed someone to develop the native apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro created all the native apps for Windows, iOS, and Android. The initial idea came from us. We had one UX [user experience] developer and one designer on our team. Shakuro gave us really good feedback on our draft, and our team was able to make those changes.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

We found Shakuro on Upwork. They had good reviews, and we felt we could trust them.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We spent several hundred thousand euros but less than 1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Shakuro in September 2013, and the work was completed in February 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have any metrics since I’m no longer with the company. Shakuro was always very honest and proactive which we appreciated very much. The quality of work they delivered was always good.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, it was tough because Shakuro had very strict responsibilities regarding who does what tasks. We kept working to improve this. Eventually, they were pulling tickets for other developers and sharing responsibilities. Shakuro provided a project manager who was our main point of contact. They discussed ideas and questions with us and then shared it with Shakuro’s team. We communicated with him through Slack or Skype.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

The most important thing was Shakuro's ability to adapt to new situations. There were lots of times where we changed our minds. Shakuro was very proactive on everything, and they were always trying to think on their own. Shakuro didn’t just implement what we said but gave feedback if they thought something wasn’t going to work properly.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

Not really. If there’s an issue, I talked to Shakuro directly.

5.0

Overall Score

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Shakuro has always been on time or communicated if there was going to be a delay.

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

I spent the same amount on other developers, and they’ve not been as good.

4.5Quality

Service & deliverables

Shakuro's team is really good but not the overall best I’ve seen in this domain.

They were brought on to join the team to provide PHP, .NET, C#, QA testing, and frontend development work. The team consisted of a 20-person team.

The Reviewer

201-500 Employees

Tel Aviv, Israel

Nir Pinhasov

CTO, SalesTech

Verified

the reviewer

CTO, SalesTech

Nir Pinhasov

Capital Markets

201-500 Employees

Tel Aviv, Israel

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

4.5

Schedule:

4.5

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"They were detail oriented, and the code reflected this."

Mar 09, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

After they were able to develop a new payment system, the client was able to see a significant increase in revenue. They appreciated Shakuro's ability to be professional and provide a quality code along with quality control for existing code.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Salestech provided technological services for several brands within the financial industry. The company had around 500 employees; 80 of them in the technology department and 50 for product R&D. I was the CTO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We had seen growth in the R&D department and wanted to make sure that we'd grow in parallel in Israel as well as offshore. We wanted to recruit resources on both fronts, in order to have a good pace and there was also an issue of cost. We wanted to offset the cost of Israel employees, which we were able to do by 2/3 when recruiting offshore resources. Our business worked from Monday to Friday and wanted a development unit which would be available beyond this for any production issues. Shakuro's team worked from Monday till Friday..

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro's employees were treated as our own, given the same code to work on. They built platforms, working on new features and architecture.

We needed to build a new solution from scratch, so we established a part of the team in Israel, using Shakuro's Russian team as an extension of it. Our managers were in charge of a single Scrum team for both groups. Most people in Shakuro's group are full-stack developers for PHP and .NET C#, but we also utilized frontend and QA resources. They worked on our CRM [customer relationship management] and payment systems, performing manual and automated testing. We also had a product owner and DevOps people on Shakuro's side. Overall, we had a 20-person team, consisting of developers, QA, managers, and so on. Our project manager was Shakuro's current COO. He is a very trustworthy person, and I enjoyed working with him. He knew how to bring people together, ensuring that our recruitment and retention were being done optimally.

We wanted to set up their team so that they could work independently, with all the required functionalities existing on the Russian side.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I had known Shakuro's manager from a previous collaboration and wanted to continue working with him.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The cost of Shakuro's work was around $500,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Shakuro in July 2015. The project ended in December 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We'd had problems with our old systems, and wanted to replace them. In a very short period, around four months, we were able to overcome our problems with the legacy payment system and deployed the new one to production. Shakuro's team mainly built it. We saw a significant revenue increase after four months of working with them.

Shakuro's team was very professional. They were doing architecture work for a new system, and adopted a well-established infrastructure, thinking about the long-term use of the system. They were detail oriented, and the code reflected this. We were satisfied with the testing efforts and everything which was reflected in our ALM [application lifecycle management] tool. Overall, we felt that Shakuro was part of our Israel team, and they felt the same. We had visits from Israel to their location and vice versa, in order to establish a common atmosphere and culture. I was very satisfied to see this happen.

The system was meant for internal use. The business units who were using it were very impressed; we gave them everything they were hoping for in a very short while. It amounted to a general boost on the business side.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked through the Agile methodology, using sprints. There were more long-term projects for which we put together plans, and we achieved this with Shakuro's team because they were integrated with our own. Everyone was conscious of our targets and worked hard, long hours, including on national holidays.

We set up video conferencing equipment in every room on Shakuro's side. Each member had their own camera, which they turned on during our standups. This was important for us, since being able to look at a person makes the communication much more personal, and leads to more commitment and a better culture. This was expressed in every aspect of the ceremonies, including our retrospective and planning meetings. We were always inviting Shakuro's team to join our meetings over Skype and any other software which allowed that.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

I know that there are many offshore companies on the market, but the most important thing for me was to know that Shakuro's team would see themselves as our employees. Shakuro allowed that, giving them a dedicated office so that they could work alone with no other clients around. We felt that Shakuro's employees adopted the culture of our company, which is very important in the business culture of Israel. Shakuro had very good management and stability, assigning dedicated managers. The site manager knew everything that was happening, coordinated the work, and raised flags whenever there wasn't enough work. Many other companies will use resources for multiple clients regardless, but I was able to trust that Shakuro's team was exclusive to us and that they wanted to contribute to our effort.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Shakuro?

My advice would be giving Shakuro the mindset that they belong to a company, putting together events and branding everything accordingly. I would also advise clients to allow the team to be as independent as possible. My strategy is to start with a distributed team and gradually allow the outsourced party to be self-sufficient with their own Scrum master, product owner, and so on.

5.0

Overall Score

4.5Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

What we got, compared to Israel prices and productivity, was great. Shakuro was more productive in some cases and cost us 1/3 of the price.

4.5Quality

Service & deliverables

Shakuro delivered well most of the time, but there were some areas where we felt that we didn't receive the deliverables we wanted. It was a work in progress, and Shakuro improved over time. Their mindset and culture were there.

Shakuro initially provided QA and R&D services. The scope of their work has expanded to include DevOps and dev engineering. The team handles production issues and sprints. This review was updated by Idan Feilhardt (VP, R&D, Novus.io) May 17, 2019.

The Reviewer

11-50 Employees

Israel

Tal Gruenwald

CEO, Novus.io

Verified

the reviewer

CEO, Novus.io

Tal Gruenwald

Computer Software

11-50 Employees

Israel

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

“Shakuro did and continues to do great work.”

Mar 01, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

They satisfied early requirements by discovering bugs and working independently. Since restructuring team coordination, Shakuro’s autonomous dev teams have performed better. Their R&D work constitutes a critical foundation for internal processes. They are a professional and cost-effective partner.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Novus.io is a part of Tenengroup, which is one of the largest e-commerce companies in Israel. We are the technology arm of the group, in charge of development and anything else related to the field.

I am the CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We had a big problem with recruiting quality developers and QA [quality assurance] resources in Israel. There is a lot of demand within the local market, and very few candidates. The salaries here are also very high, so the decision to outsource was based both on obtaining higher-quality members and on trying to reduce cost.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We use an Agile process and have two Scrum teams consisting of developers and QA specialists. We received assistance from Shakuro within both of our teams, one of which is in charge of developing the external products we're selling as an e-commerce platform. The other team is in charge of internal development for our existing systems. We recruited three QA resources and 4–5 developers from Shakuro's team. Each one was allocated to a team and worked together with us in a joint manner. We view them as an extension of our own group.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

We went through a process of examining different software service providers. I went on several trips to Russia and Ukraine, visiting a number of companies, including Shakuro. One of the reasons for choosing them was the feeling of dedication, hard work, and experience that their personnel gave. I had had a previous positive experience working with one of Shakuro's founders, while he was working for another company. This fell in with other factors, like price, ease of recruitment, distance, time zone, and the educational opportunities offered by the universities in that area. Once I did the math, it became clear that Shakuro was a good choice for us.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The cost of Shakuro's work has been between $10,000 and $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Shakuro in July 2016. The collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Because we work in Scrum, we keep several measurable units, like sprint velocity. The progress we were able to make was increased after working with Shakuro, but there are all kinds of other parameters, like the number of bugs found and the number of missed tasks. They've all improved, so we're quite happy with the results.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a project manager in Israel who is in charge of our work with Shakuro. Their team simply receives tasks and ensures that the development and testing are being done. In terms of operational management, we have frequent calls and meetings with our site manager from Shakuro. The communication is very good, with 2–3 meetings per week. We address any new issues, like the need to recruit additional employees. I'm very happy with our contact from Shakuro.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

The thing which brought me the most benefits is not having to work a lot for our collaboration with Shakuro. The team is managed by them in terms of human resources and other day-to-day affairs. Our agreement implies that we will know what we can expect from Shakuro, and they will keep track of what we need. The process runs smoothly, and I was never involved in details that didn't require my involvement. I am only notified about the most important issues.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

I can't think of anything. Whenever there was an issue, I talked about it with Shakuro's team and they resolved it immediately, or within a couple of days. For example, we had a problem with their video conferencing equipment, so Shakuro changed the microphones two days later.

Can you give me a brief description of your company and your position there?

I’m the VP of R&D at Novus.io, a web services company. I lead the entire technical division. I’m updating this review for Tal (Former CEO, Novus.io), who I replaced two years ago.

What has the scope of their involvement been since 2017?

In 2017, we were pursuing a major project with Shakuro, and Tal oversaw our mixed team with them. We had team leaders in both Israel and Russia managing Shakuro’s developers in Russia, who provided QA & R&D. Unfortunately, the project failed, and we reduced our work with Shakuro and regrouped internally.

Since then, we have maintained our mixed team with Shakuro, but rather than spanning multiple geo-locations, we now have full-service, autonomous development teams in Russia. They deliver everything and fill in as needed. Our product team provides them with tasks, and they groom, plan, and kick off sprints. They also handle production issues.

The scope of our work together has expanded beyond traditional R&D to include dev engineering and DevOps.

How has the team composition changed since 2017?

We previously worked with around 7–10 Shakuro developers, and now we work with around twenty.

Tal said you spent between $10,000–$15,000 each month. Do you know how much additional money you’ve spent with Shakuro up to this point?

Our monthly costs have increased three- to fourfold. We spend between $35,000–$45,000 each month.

What has been the effect of Shakuro’s work since this new project began?

They have provided R&D that is the basis of everything we do, including rewriting our email system and creating product pages in our back-office system. We have also done unique in-house development work based on Shakuro’s efforts.

Are you happy with their work?

We are 100% satisfied.

How are their project management skills?

Once we moved to autonomous teams in Russia, things improved a lot. We still experience the challenges of working with an offshore team, but we’ve established an effective workflow. We communicate online via Slack, Skype, and other instant messaging solutions.

Why did you decide to continue working with Shakuro, instead of going with a different service provider?

Shakuro did and continues to do great work.

Is there anything else that Shakuro is particularly good at?

They’re great at recruiting talent, which has allowed us to grow relatively quickly. They are professional and offer reasonable prices, which is what anyone looks for in a long-term partner.

Is there anything they could do differently?

Their location causes some restrictions. Also, market demand changes; for example, it is easy to find a .NET developer but difficult to find one who specializes in Node.js. These are factors that Shakuro cannot control, but they’re worth considering.

Do you have any advice for future clients for how to best utilize the partnership?

As with all remote developers, be aware of the constraints that such a business relationship entails.

Shakuro provided design and development services. They modernized existing designs and did the development and design of iOS and Android applications.

The Reviewer

United Arab Emirates

Ramy Al-Kadhi

Founder, The Social Corporations

Verified

the reviewer

Founder, The Social Corporations

Ramy Al-Kadhi

Consumer Goods

United Arab Emirates

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.5

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"I’m happy that the quality of the apps is top-class. My clients are happy."

Feb 17, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

The projects that Shakuro has completed have had a positive outcome. The client that the app was made for will be rolling it out on a global scale. They are particularly happy that the apps have been high quality and that their clients are happy.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of The Social Corporations. We develop internal HR applications for corporations in order to bridge the gap between management and their employees. I’m also the co-founder of I’m in Diary, a social diary app that makes it easier to organize events with friends. Aquapps is another company that I’ve started. It is an experimentation company that allows me to make budget apps to learn the trade.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

The Social Corporations has a project called OMGene, which is the internal software for a media multinational called Omnicom. I started the project with another developer who wasn’t very good, so I had to look for a replacement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro took our designs and modernized them, coming up with a base concept. The designs Shakuro came up with were approved very quickly by the client, so there was little back and forth. They did the development and design for the frontend for both iOS and Android. They also created the backend CMS [content management system] that powers the application. They set up our Flurry and customized it to analyze the app, using Ruby on Rails as a coding software. For the CMS, they used the existing white label CMS called Admin Panel.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I found them when I was looking for someone to build a personal app. I used oDesk to post the ad and the founder contacted me via Skype. I liked him because he was serious and asked the right questions. You could tell they knew what they were talking about. I looked at their website and saw they had done professional work.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We spend between $50,000 to 200,000 per year on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The project had a positive outcome. The app was developed for a UAE company and they’re going to roll it out globally. Our client’s sister companies have taken an interest in the app and it has become a hot property in the Middle East.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

This is their weakest point because there is a communication gap sometimes. Sometimes, the answers are quite vague. I find that I have to follow up more, and I don’t get any daily reports of the status of the project. They are not able to meet deadlines because of the amount of QA they do. They want to make sure it’s perfect, but they don’t communicate that to me. Otherwise, their quality is outstanding in terms of functionality and the way they work.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

I’m a startup, so we fostered good relationships on a personal level. It’s not really formal. I’m happy that the quality of the apps is top-class. My clients are happy.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

They have a unique business model, which is difficult. They charge per hour, so sometimes if I just need a quick mockup, they start quoting the hours. I tell them that I just need the mockup so I can approve 100 hours later on. They need to work on fixed rates. I’ve also noticed that they share project managers between different projects, so I think they’re trying to be lean because they’re a startup. They also need to keep me up to date on the deadlines.

4.5

Overall ScoreIt’s been great. They’ve done great work and we’ve made lots of apps together that are really successful. It’s not a perfect score because of the issues I already mentioned.

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Shakuro may extend a deadline, but only for the quality of the product to ensure it’s properly tested and delivers a high class solution.

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

Shakuro works on a per hour billing system that is fair and takes into account risk which absolves the potential for hidden costs.

4.0Quality

Service & deliverables

The quality of the apps, website, and design are world class. It’s not a perfect score because of the missed deadlines.

Shakuro provides Ruby on Rails and Angular development services to continue developing a preexisting design.

The Reviewer

1-10 Employees

New York, New York

Founder, Financial Marketplace

Verified

the reviewer

Founder, Financial Marketplace

Financial Services

1-10 Employees

New York, New York

Online Review

The client submitted this review online.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"Asking questions is key to a project, and Shakuro does a great job with that."

Feb 03, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

They have accomplished the requirements behind the project. The work has received positive feedback for both the flow and design of the product. The agency appreciates Shakuro's top-notch communication and ability to hear what is needed and be able to deliver that.

the review

The company is a financial marketplace founded in 2014. I’m the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

I needed a team for development services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used Ruby on Rails and Angular. I had a team in the US start the design of the platform and then Shakuro was following that design.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I found them about 10 years ago on a technology platform where they were featured for of one the sites they built. I had seen some of their code and had worked with them on another project. Shakuro is a close-knit organization, and their culture is good. The people are focused on accomplishing the task. The consistency of their code is really good.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We’ve spent around $500,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We’re establishing a disruptive marketplace that takes a long time. Financial markets are slow to adapt new technology. The adoption curve is not as it would be for a consumer application. The goal is to optimize the workflow for a specific application. Shakuro has done a great job at understanding the requirements. We have gotten positive feedback on the workflow and design. Shakuro has done great at interpreting the work from the US design team.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We have dedicated resources from Shakuro working on our project which is very helpful. We have a fulltime PM [project manager] to manage the team of 7. Without her, it would be difficult in terms of communication. She’s an excellent communicator. She goes above and beyond by asking questions and making sure there’s a full understanding of every feature.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

Other outsourced teams have not understood the requirements, and the delivery is off target. Asking questions is key to a project, and Shakuro does a great job with that.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

It would be good if Shakuro could extend their technologies beyond Rails and Angular. For most websites, it’s fine but it Shakuro wants to grow, it would benefit them to expand their technologies.

5.0

Overall Score

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

We’ve had scope creep, but that’s normal with any project. This was a complex project.

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

It would be hard to find the quality of engineers that Shakuro has in the US, and they would cost 3 times more.

Shakuro was hired to develop a .NET MVC stack and helped on a few other development projects as well.

The Reviewer

1001-5000 Employees

Washington, DC

Senior Software Developer, Management Consulting Firm

Verified

the reviewer

Senior Software Developer, Management Consulting Firm

Business Services

1001-5000 Employees

Washington, DC

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"I hope to be working with them 10 years from now."

Feb 01, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

The client is happy with the agency's ability to keep a fast pace in terms of making progress during sprints. They manage to keep the client up to date very well and consistently display their expertise in the field of web development.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior software developer in .NET. I work in the commercial industry and am currently building a case management tool for managing security clearances. I’m also working on a federal contract with GSA to do a .NET MVC conversion from an older system. I also have 2 special needs boys who play special-needs hockey, and I came up with an idea about how to manage that.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

I needed .NET MVC full stack development to help support a Portfolio Management project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The database is SQL Server, and on top of that we have Entity 6 framework, and on top of that we have WCF, and on top of that MVC. They work at all levels. It’s a full stack implementation.

The site they did for my boys’ hockey team is more exciting for me. The site registers all the kids and then provides specialized reports. It keeps track of their attendance and the kids can then get credit for their community service in order to graduate from high school in our county.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I found Shakuro through a friend who had used them to fix some coding that had been done by a different firm.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

In total, we’ve spent $40,000 on the hockey project and $80,000 on the Portfolio Management.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them on the Portfolio Management project in August 2015 and the project is ongoing. The project for the hockey team started in September 2014 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Everybody’s velocity is different, but we’ve done about 20 points a sprint. I’ve had no problems whatsoever.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

When Alex is directly involved, it’s phenomenal. I get a weekly report. They suggested daily Scrum calls but that didn’t fit my style, so we don’t do that.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

They’re supremely competent in what they do, plus they’re incredibly polite and thoughtful. We bonded very well, which helps to keep everybody motivated to do good work.

the review

"They take initiative and don’t waste time building something that’s not useful for me just for more money."

Jan 05, 2017

The Review

Feedback summary:

The client has seen a promising increase in accuracy in clocking in and out which has amounted to a lot of money saved. They appreciate how available Shakuro has made itself even though there is a time difference.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of San Mateo Construction Corp., a subcontracting company dealing with contracts for a primary electric company in New York State. We also provide other subcontracting services such as security, outside securement construction, and so on.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We wanted to digitalize and automate processes because we were lagging behind in technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro helped with all aspects of the business such as payroll, administration, company tax, health benefits, and automating dispatching. Initially, I was looking to create a very basic database management system. They built the backend for the system. Shakuro used Ruby on Rails, Swift, Java, and SQL. They did the wireframes to show me a simplified way to solve our issues. For example, multiple users had to be able to access multiple time sheets.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I had a conversation with Alex and his team listened to what our needs were. After hearing their suggestions, we realized his company could offer us a complete package unlike anyone else could.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We have spent between $10,000 and $50,000 so far, but this amount will continue to grow.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The quality of work was lightyears better than anyone out there. I can track every detail. We deal with another very large company and I’m making their jobs easier. Our system is better than what they have now. In the past, it was possible for people to fudge a time sheet a half hour. But now, we have a 99.87% efficiency of completing jobs, thanks to geolocation. We never had a statistic like that before and we are saving a lot of money with the system we now have. Shakuro has shown me more ways we can be efficient and they’re ready to help me with those projects when I’m ready.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was done the way we wanted and it was on time even when the deadline was tight. There is a time difference, but I have access to them 24/7. I use GitHub and they send me live updates.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

They take initiative and don’t waste time building something that’s not useful for me just for more money. They give suggestions for better solutions. If I have any issues, they’re handled quickly compared to other private freelancer programmers I’ve used. I don’t think I ever want anyone else because of the great quality and cost I get with them.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

The only challenging part was the time difference, but they made it work. There were a few hours in the afternoon that were the most challenging times. That being said, there were times they would help me in the middle of the night.

5.0

Overall Score

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

I received deliverables on time as long as I gave them the proper information and didn’t change anything at the last minute.

4.5Cost

Value / within estimates

Based on my experience with other developers, the price seemed better than anyone else.

4.5Quality

Service & deliverables

I have experience working with other programmers. I don’t know that Shakuro is the best of the best out there, but their team is the best that I’ve dealt with.

5.0NPS

Willing to refer

I have already recommended them to others. Selfishly I don't want to share them but they do such great work.

the review

"Shakuro engages with their customers to be sure they have a superior experience."

Dec 07, 2016

The Review

Feedback summary:

The client hasn't received any sort of measurable results but is happy with the work Shakuro has completed as of yet. They really appreciated the agency's ability to communicate and clear dedication to making sure their client has a good experience.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Lore Media, Inc. works with augmented reality devices to take literature and move it into mixed reality medium. I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We wanted to construct our web presence. The platform allows users to upload their stories and literature so that it can be presented in virtual and augmented reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used a pre-existing software called Discourse. There are very few developers who know how to manipulate this software because we wanted to turn it into a CMS that we could use for our content. There was a lot of collaboration between our teams. My goal was to provide them with as clear a picture of what we wanted as possible. They brought anything I had missed to my attention. They also did a helped us set up a temporary form for our landing page which they did free of charge.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

We posted a job on Upwork, and we had a few people apply. After talking with Shakuro, we found they were definitely the most qualified out of 4 or 5 other companies that we spoke with. They had previous experience with the software, so that was a great start. Another thing they were very good at was communication.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The cost of the project so far is under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project has been postponed as of September, because of financial issues on our end. I plan to continue working with them in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

So far, we’ve been focusing on the functionality and making sure everything works correctly. We’ve been working with a new framework called three.js which is used for manipulating 3D objects in your web browser directly. Very few people know how to use it, and it’s been very impressive to see how well Shakuro adapts to different and complicated frameworks.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is great. I think there was one time that we had a delay in the project, but it was expected because we had changed the scope.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

Shakuro engages with their customers to be sure they have a superior experience.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

A lot of the developers are based in Russia so time zones can be an issue. Once I got used to a schedule that worked for both of us, it worked out well.

5.0

Overall ScoreI’ve worked with 15 different freelancers, 5 of which were firms, and Shakuro was the best. It’s been wonderful.

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Anytime a deadline wasn’t met it was because of some surprise that both of us didn’t foresee but we came up with a solution.

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

Because we have a limited budget, it was great to figure out what features we could have that would still help us accomplish what we needed to.

the review

"They’re [Shakuro] meeting the deadlines and communication is clear."

Sep 16, 2016

The Review

Feedback summary:

The client is seeing 80,000 users right now which has made them happy. They appreciate the casual partnership that the client and Shakuro have. Shakuro's team feels like it is a part of the client's team. Deadlines are met, and communication is clear.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Cubebrush is an online marketplace. We’re a little bit like Etsy but for digital content for the game industry. I am the CEO [Chief Executive Officer].

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

I needed a team to develop everything. I had the idea but nothing else. I reached out to a couple of companies. Shakuro was the best case scenario. They had been in the business of game art for a long time. They were a really good option.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I came to them with a very vague idea of what I wanted in the end. The idea was to make an eCommerce platform where people could open their store and show their content. We went back and forth multiple times. They would suggest ideas and eventually solidify the idea. I had a lot of different images on my site that I sent them, and they improved. It was more of a collaboration with them than me telling them what to do. As far as how the platform was built, I got what I wanted. I knew that their team was using Ruby, which was something I wanted. That was one of the main things that I wanted my developers to do, and they were doing that already, so that was a plus.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

A big part of it was them previously having a very, very successful platform that all the artists in the industry used for their portfolio. Their name was out there and known. I contacted a bunch of others, and Shakuro offered the best price really. Their quote was unbeatable compared to the other companies.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We spent $300,000 to $400,000 in total over two years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re working together now. We started towards the end of 2014. I think it was October.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The platform launched publicly in January 2016. We have about 80,000 users right now on the platform. It’s one of the big platforms in this industry where people can put all their content, so I guess it’s pretty successful from that standpoint.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

I wouldn’t be working with them if it wasn’t great. It’s been a very, very cool casual partnership that we’ve had. I’ve had the same guys working on my team since the beginning. It’s almost like they’re my employees, but they’re not. They’re [Shakuro] meeting the deadlines and communication is clear. I talk to them multiple times a day.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

In the beginning, I wasn’t as experienced as a team leader. There was a lot of technology that I wasn’t sure that we should use. I have no serious complaints.

5.0

Overall ScoreI’ve never been disappointed with them. The communication is always great. Whenever there is a small miscommunication, it gets fixed right away. There’s never any problems. It’s not something I have to cover for. It’s a solid firm.

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

They have always delivered on time within the budget I give them.

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

It’s probably 1/3 of what I would pay a firm based in the US. It allows me to raise money.

5.0Quality

Service & deliverables

I wouldn’t be with them a few years later if they weren’t really solid.

Shakuro was hired to do design and development work. They also provided UX [user experience] services.

The Reviewer

11-50 employees

New York City, New York

Bobby Warren

Technology Manager, Arthur W. Page Society

Verified

the reviewer

Technology Manager, Arthur W. Page Society

Bobby Warren

Information Services

11-50 employees

New York City, New York

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"I’m confident that when they [Shakuro] hand something to me, I don’t have to check it in every browser. They write quality code."

Aug 22, 2016

The Review

Feedback summary:

The client has seen a 50% increase in member donations. They have received great feedback from members about the design of the website, and have seen a 60.53% increase in usage. The client really appreciated how much knowledge Shakuro had in coding.

the review

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Arthur Page Society is an international organization that represents the 300 Chief Communication Officers from the Fortune 300, and the 100 Chief Executive Officers of the 100 largest PR firms in the world. We sponsor research in PR and also provide thought leadership in that space. I lead our technology and website efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

Our website was previously on ExpressionEngine, which is predominantly used for blogs. It provided a public face for our organization as well as a member directory. We also have a separate donor database which we use to manage donations and other finances. We were looking for a way to combine the website functionality with the donor database.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We took a branding study we had done and gave that to Shakuro. They were able to develop design concepts which we presented to our executive committee, and they selected the overall look and feel for the website. They also worked with Shakuro to help provide the UX. It was very collaborative. It was us and Shakuro working together to get the UX right, but everything largely was done by Shakuro.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

One of our members had loaned us a UX designer that works with them. She was on our team and she helped us with the UX.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The project was $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re still working with them. We started working them in 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The one big thing we’ve seen as a vote of confidence is that we’ve seen a 50% increase in our member donations for our technology. We allow our members to donate to specific endeavors. Traffic has been really successful. We didn’t realize how bad our old site was until we saw the numbers for uptake on the new site. We saw a 60.53% increase in usage after we updated. The new site has a much better member directory, is mobile enhanced, and it’s really easy to search for members. We’ve gotten all kinds of praise from our members. They’ve all been complimentary of the website.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We couldn’t do it without them. Yulia is the person we work with. She is amazing. I’m in charge of managing the project on our side. If it had been left to me, this project wouldn’t have launched. She’s been the backbone for everything. She keeps us on schedule and makes sure that we have our deliverables sent to her when we need to.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

I’ve worked in technology before working with my current organization. I know good code and I know bad code. Shakuro browser tests across all platforms. I’m confident that when they hand something to me, I don’t have to check it in every browser. They write quality code. I can’t say enough about their quality of their development. It’s really good code.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

No. I’d say that if I were going to launch a startup, they would be the first people I’d hire. They’re very precise and careful on their communication. They keep their projects on time, tell you no when they need to, are very accurate, and just a good group of people to work with.

5.0

Overall ScoreThey’re the best.

5.0Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

They hit their deadlines. There were times I really wanted something and they told me that it was not possible. They’ve never lied to me. They never promise me things they can’t deliver. That’s huge.

5.0Cost

Value / within estimates

Our website would have been a $1.2 million website if we had been sourcing it locally.

5.0Quality

Service & deliverables

I can trust their deliverables. When they say it’s finished, it’s finished. I can confidently present it to my boss and not worry that I’m giving him something that he’s going to catch problems on.